


Something Precious

by Saasan



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fix-It, Imagine it omg the characters talk, M/M, Salt, Season 8 Fix It, There are more tags that would fit but my brain hurts, They talk, Unlike in Season 8, but anyway, this soothed me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 14:36:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16996845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saasan/pseuds/Saasan
Summary: Shiro didn't even know it was broken, and that's why he needs to be the one to fix it.





	Something Precious

He’s in a closet when Shiro finds him.  There’s something ironic in that. He hadn’t gone looking for Keith--he’d run come to his room because he’d forgotten to pack his arm kit, and maybe he wouldn’t need it over his honeymoon, but how annoying would it be if he did and then didn’t have it?  So with a kiss to Curtis and promise to return in an instant, Shiro had practically run to his room.

 

He almost hadn’t heard it.

 

He’d grabbed the kit from his dresser and had made it to back the door when the muffled sound came from his closet.  Was that..a sob?

 

“Keith,” Shiro says in shock, “what are you doing here?”

 

“Kosmo dropped me off and then disappeared,” Keith says, eyes averted.  “I just wanted to leave the reception and he brought me here. Then I heard footsteps and panicked.  Sorry. Didn’t mean to be weird.”

 

“It’s fine,” Shiro promises.  “I just came back for my kit. Are you...are you okay?”

 

He can see it in his friend’s stance if nothing else.  He’s hunched, sunken, and of course there’s the little detail of how hard he’s trying not to look at Shiro.  

 

“Just emotional.  It’s a wedding,” Keith offers.  

 

Keith is never this emotional.  Sure, he’s fiery and impulsive and he’s opened up a _lot_ over the years, but he’s not…this.  Shiro doesn’t know what the word is, but he doesn’t like it.

 

Shiro sets his arm kit down and then places his hand on Keith’s shoulders.

 

He visibly flinches away.

 

“Keith,” Shiro says, “talk to me.  Please.”

 

“No,” Keith says fiercely.  “I’m not going to talk to you right now.  Curtis is waiting and this isn’t your problem, okay?  It’s mine and I’ll handle it.”

 

Shiro is at a loss.  He’s never seen Keith like this and he can’t imagine leaving him now, but he also respects Keith’s privacy.  

 

“Keith… I don’t want to leave while you’re like this, but I will go if that’s really what you want,” he says finally.

 

Keith squeezes his eyes shut and clenches his fists.  Shiro thinks that’s the end of it and, hurt and worried, starts to leave, but then Keith sobs.

 

“I just want to say I’m sorry that I ruined us,” he says.

 

“Keith, what are you talking about?  You didn’t ruin us, you didn’t ruin anything,” Shiro says, his immediate impulse to soothe.  

 

“I ruined our friendship.  I know I did,” Keith cries.  “I’m sorry I confessed. I’m so sorry, Shiro.  I never would have if I’d known that--”

 

An ugly sob bursts from his chest and he hugs himself, unable to say more.  The sound hits Shiro in the gut. He has done this. Somehow, he has made Keith feel like this, and he doesn’t know how or why but he will do _anything_ to fix it.

 

“Keith, what are you talking about?” Shiro says.

 

“Our fight--I told you that I loved you.  I meant it, Shiro, and yes as a brother but more than that.  You’ve always been my family, and I was fine with it staying like that I swear but then--fuck--you left me, Shiro.  It’s fine if you wanted to let me down easy. Really, it’s fine, but god why did you do it like that? Why did you stay away? Why did you leave me?”  

 

Keith looks up then, finally.  His face is utterly rent with grief.  He’s broken and Shiro has no idea what to do.

 

“Keith, I don’t understand,” he says truthfully.  “I didn’t leave you.”

 

“When was the last time you touched me?” Keith demands.  “Before today--when was the last time?”

 

Shiro says nothing, and Keith shakes his head.

 

“We used to touch, Shiro.  We’d hug, we’d reassure each other, you’d put your hand on my shoulder, and now you’re gone.  And it hurts. And what hurts even more is that you don’t see it. And god--it’s my fault and I’m so, so sorry,” Keith says.

 

It’s the last thing he says for a long time.  Shiro holds him then, pulls him to his chest and sits him on the bed, rubs his back and says assurances and apologies and tells him again and again that nothing is Keith’s fault.  

 

At last, it’s been too long.  Curtis will come soon. They both know it.  Shiro needs to decide if he’s postponing his honeymoon over this, and he’s beginning to think that yes, he is, because nothing is more important than Keith needing him, and Curtis will understand.

 

But then Keith stands up.

 

“You should go,” he says.

 

Shiro stands up, too.  He starts to protest, but Keith puts up his hand and Shiro knows better.

 

“We’ll talk about this more when I get back,” Shiro promises.  “You’re still my best friend, Keith. I swear I will be involved in your life again.  I’m going to make you a priority again.”

 

“Please don’t,” Keith says.  His smile is the most painful thing Shiro has ever seen.

 

And then he’s gone.

  


~*~*~

  


Curtis is understanding.  It’s one of things Shiro loves most about him.  He knows Shiro’s history with Keith and he is willing to postpone their honeymoon for as long as Shiro wants.  Shiro fears if he gives in and postpones it, they’ll never go.

 

They leave only half an hour behind schedule.

  


~*~*~

  


Shiro wakes up in the dead of night, gasping.  Curtis rolls over, a gentle hand on his arm.

 

“Are you okay, honey?”

 

_You’re my brother.  I love you._

 

“Just another nightmare; I’m sorry to wake you.  Go back to sleep.”

 

Curtis snuggles closer and eventually his breaths turn even.  He snores a little and it’s cute. Shiro looks at his husband and drinks in his features.  He loves this man. He married him.

 

_I love you._

 

He can’t stop thinking about someone else.

 

_Please don’t._

 

In the morning, he asks if they can see a couple’s counselor, and Curtis agrees.  He’s so understanding. Shiro loves that about him.

  


~*~*~

  


In the end, Curtis is the one who leaves him.  Three years of counseling and pain and they both know it’s the right choice, and Shiro feels like a coward.  He should have left Curtis at the altar--it would have been kinder than this.

  


~*~*~

  


It’s dark night in a dark bar in a far corner of the galaxy.  Shiro sits down next to a startled man.

 

“I ruined us,” Shiro says.  He flags the barkeep over and orders a drink.  Keith hasn’t said anything, but Shiro isn’t surprised.  They haven’t spoken since the day of the wedding.

 

“I never let myself hope it was a love confession,” he admits.  He takes his drink and stares into it, tilting the glass to make the liquid swirl.  “I buried that, and then I buried us.” He gulps down the liquor and slams the glass, harder than he means to.  

 

Keith says nothing, but his posture is less guarded.  

 

“Curtis left me.”

 

Keith stiffens.

 

“I really did love him,” Shiro says softly, “but I always loved you more.”

 

He hears Keith inhale sharply, but he still doesn’t say anything.  Shiro doesn’t need him to. That wasn't the point of this. All he wants is for Keith to know that it wasn't his fault.  Shiro was the one who broke something precious.

 

“I ruined us, and I’m sorry,” Shiro says.  He rises to leave and then turns to give a handshake, if Keith wants it, and now that he’s finally looking at Keith’s face, he can see it--he’s making Keith cry again.

 

“Keith…,” he says, reaching out on instinct to touch him, reassure him.

 

_How long has it been since you touched me?_

 

His hand falters.

 

Keith is buried in his arms before he can pull back his hand and he realizes--maybe this hasn’t been ruined after all.

 

“Please don’t go,” Keith whispers.  

 

Shiro pulls him closer and they’re both crying.

 

“I won’t.  I’ll never leave you again,” he promises, and with his entire soul he means it.

 

“I’m sorry I told you to leave,” Keith says, voice muffled by Shiro’s chest.  

 

“I know,” Shiro says.  

 

“I missed you.”

 

“I missed you, too.  I started missing you way before the wedding and I never stopped,” Shiro whispers into Keith’s hair.  He can’t help but place a kiss there. He doesn’t know in what capacity Keith wants him, but he’ll take anything, gladly, without complaint.  

 

(Even if it’s only this moment.)

 

When Keith at last pulls back to look at him, Shiro’s eyes catch on the scar.  He knows he put a worse one on his heart.

 

“Welcome back,” Keith says softly, and he smiles.

 

Shiro shallows down a lump and returns the smile.

 

“It’s good to be back."

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> AND THEN THEY BANG THE END.
> 
> Ugh. I have a lot of Thoughts about season 8 and also a headache. Buuuut hopes this helped you guys a little. Also, let's face it: if 100% of the fans agree it didn't happen, then it didn't happen. :)
> 
> Love you so much!!


End file.
